scures the sharp design of Handel s scenes. In 1966, Beverly Sills, the Cleo- patra, carried the show, and it, in turn, carried her to international fame. The new incumbent is Gianna Rolandi; her rapid singing was deft, but she lacked purity and steadiness of tone and ac- curacy of pitch. To the grand tragic role of Cornelia, Diane Curry brought a twinkle that could not be subdued; with a little encouragement, she could be hilarious. Dominic Cossa was a passable Achillas. Caesar and Ptolemy are alto roles; at the City Opera they are sung an octave too low, in the bass register, with the customary unhappy results. Marks to Robert Hale and Donnie Ray Albert for trying. The imported conductor, Ralf Weikert, from Frankfurt, showed no particular Handelian virtues There are at least two English translations of "Giulio Cesare" that have been proved in performance: Brian Trowel1's, used in Birmingham and also in London, where Janet Baker sings Caesar; and Richard Bradshaw's, used in San Francisco last year, when Carol Vaness sang Cleo- patra. The City Opera does the work in Italian; there might be something to be said for that if the language were more tellingly sung (many lines proved incomprehensible) and if the house lights were left up, eighteenth- century fashion, so that the audience could glance at its librettos. T AST week, I had some hard things L to say about the City Opera's pro- duction of Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" but remarked that it was enjoyable. So I went back to enjoy it again, at the fourth perfor- mance, when there was a largely new -and, as it happened, a largely superior-cast. Glenys Fowles, the Mistress Ford, was a merry wife, sparkling and resourceful. She and Muriel Costa-Greenspon, the Mistress Page, reminded us-as their prede- cessors had not-that the opera is, among other things, Fiordiligi's and Dorabella's revenge upon men- folk. They played to and sang with one another as a well-matched pair. The new lovers, Carol Gutknecht and Bruce Reed, were lyrical, sweet, and true. Page was now cast at strength in the person of Ralph Bassett, whose strong, pure bass is bravely projected. Stephen Dickson has grown swiftly into the role of Ford, which he voiced and acted with the keenness and force missing before. Norman Large and 233 ..'$f' On the evening of lVIarch 9,1977 she set her husband on fire... ' , !':",, """'" t" ,,': -\.-.. '%. "=... '( 0""" " - ,', ;.i.",;,:"", :'y." . . ...... i' '" .' . y .::: "" .<\ ' ,'y " .;0. ".. , ',' " ;', ' I .... h ,". -'. :.. .:.::'" , e - by FAlm McNULT The true story of Francine Hughes, a battered wife who was driven to murder to free herself from bondage. "Impossible to put down!' -RIChc.lrd J Gelle6 duthor of /11e \101ent Horne A Literdry Guild Featured AIterndte A Doublcdav Book Club Selection - 512.95 . HARCOURI' BRACE JOVANOVICH 757 Ttum Avenue, New \brk 10017 Order Britain's * :; k BYFORD Men's Socks : . -;..<"%-:::: ...; S.. ;.:..;:: . 'i4:j;-f!.::/;.. } /4' Super absorbent, fantastically comfortable. long-wearing Byford '98" socks are pure wool with nylon reinforced toe and heel Fully machine washable, too Available In' Black, Navy, Brown, Med. or Ok Grey Non-elastic-top ankle length $5.SO. Garter length $6, Elastic top over-the-calf $6 SO. MJnI- mum order 3 pair Add $1 50 post & hdlg Order sock size from chart Check Master Chg., Visa. Amer Exp (state card # & exp date) "J Ø".æ "" .;;... .. G D L DIN J S " Dept NY1 25 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (201) 741-9055 THE HALFl u / dHMOON CLUB HOTEL.COTTAGES,APARTMENTS AND GOLF VILLAS Home of All American Sports Tenms Cllmcs In Jamaica Hemz E.W. Simomtsch - Managmg Director Rose Hall. Jamaica. W.I. GOLF. TENNIS. SQUASH · WATERSPORTS SAUNA. MASSAGE · PRIVATE BEACH See Your Travel Agent or Call RR 800-223-6510 eJRS 800-327-5767 BELLEROPHON BOOKS FREE gorgeous catalog of Art BOOKS FOR CHILDREN )(;()(),>()( ,)\ ()()'()()( ()( '/'/'/,/,/,/,/,/ ,/'/,/ /,/'1" 1'/'/'/'/'/'1", /'/""),/,/", '( ()()()<) )()/ ,()()(),/)(,/'I '/'1'/ 'I'" ,/,1'/'/'" ( .6\ /'/'1 '1'1'/ /'/'/'()(/,,' '" '/'/ '1'1'1' ,/",/ I"" / ,/ vVvv '( ()""v ... GOOD OSED BOOKS Wide variety, intelligent selection. Ubraries buy regularly; you can too! History, Uterature Fiction, Sports, Military, Science, Art, many other subjects. Send a dollar for classified listings of 20,000 titles and prices. Editions, Desk Y. BoicevDle, N.Y. 12412 From Myths & Legends of the VIKINGS, 2.95 Write us: BELLEROPHON BOOKS 36 Anacapa, SantaBarbara, Ca 93101 Name Address City, State & Zip